Real Madrid v Liverpool (CL Match Thread)

[LEGS]

I think the first goal was very good football by Real. A cracking goal all round by them.
I was surprised how good they were, though when you give Kroos and Modric that much time on the ball they will hurt you.

Correct and as Nineteen says we dont play teams in England with that quality in midfield.

They caught Phillips out with that first goal but once Junior controls it he is getting a shot away.

Kabak/Phillips were not to blame though they got caught out a few times but both put some decent challenges in.

The midfield if you could call it that was what let us down badly first half.

As I have said 3-1 is not completely game over but id fancy Madrid to go through still.

[SydneyLFC]

Not wanting to sound too negative but we don't really deserve to get anything from this tie with this squad. They're just not good enough and, frankly, Klopp looks out of his depth when he can't play his preferred players in preferred setup. He's been found wanting all season and this game epitomised it. Who'd play Keita in front of Trent this season. Blinkered.

[ianlfc]

Correct and as Nineteen says we dont play teams in England with that quality in midfield.

They caught Phillips out with that first goal but once Junior controls it he is getting a shot away.

Kabak/Phillips were not to blame though they got caught out a few times but both put some decent challenges in.

The midfield if you could call it that was what let us down badly first half.

As I have said 3-1 is not completely game over but id fancy Madrid to go through still.

Indeed mate.

[Nineteenx]

It's not happening. We won't be keeping a clean sheet against Madrid and I don't see us scoring 3. This season has been a complete disaster.

Mane has been the biggest surprise to me. He has been so poor.

Mane and Robbo's form both went to shit when we went tappy crappy and stopped playing the centre to left and right to left switches to find either in isolation, neither has recovered because we've never gone back to doing what made that partnership on our left, which was the strongest and most potent in our entire team, played so brilliantly doing for 2 seasons

[Steveo]

To put it politely, He looks fucked!!
Too much football these past 3 season has taken it's toll.

This is precisely what has happened across the core of the squad.

Any form any one player finds lasts a few games at best.

Lack of investment - too many games by too few players but the owners - knowing sweet FA about this game - wanted to pay the bills.

They will be letting us pay for this mess - that’s for sure - it won’t be touching their bottom line.

[ianlfc]

Mane and Robbo's form both went to shit when we went tappy crappy and stopped playing the centre to left and right to left switches to find either in isolation, neither has recovered because we've never gone back to doing what made that partnership on our left, which was the strongest and most potent in our entire team, played so brilliantly doing for 2 seasons

That was another thing Real did well tonight. They switched play and used the whole pitch really well. We were chasing shadows at times.

[ianlfc]

This is precisely what has happened across the core of the squad.

Any form they find lasts a few games at best.

Lack of investment - too many games by too few players but the owners - knowing sweet FA about this game - wanted to pay the bills.

They will be letting us pay for this mess - that’s for sure - it won’t be touching their bottom line.

Reals squad tonight looked as If they had plenty of strength in depth.

[Steveo]

That was another thing Real did well tonight. They switched play and used the whole pitch really well. We were chasing shadows at times.

Better quality players mate. You have to accept it at times. Unless we can comprehensively out run and outwork that type of team - we are getting beat and beat well.

But we have the best full backs in the world... don’t you know.. seriously - there are many Liverpool fans who were saying this and not that long ago.

We have done so well the last few years - but we are paying a heavy price for it.

You have to strike when you are on top. It was clear to me were well bellow the quality of the top sides in Europe - capable of beating them yes but well below them in footballing quality.

The owners did sweet FA about it

[Crimson Dynasty]

To put it politely, He looks fucked!!
Too much football these past 3 season has taken it's toll.

I don't even feel like that's the issue.
I don't believe it's a question of energy levels, or fatigue or miles run.

He's just looked bereft of motivation or enthusiasm.
Like he can but doesn't want to.

It seems like something might have changed during that game he threw a strop at being subbed instead of Mo - in a game in which Mo had been more wasteful, and overlooked him for passes when he was open and he was arguing with everyone from Klopp and the trainers on his way out.

Klopp claimed the matter was resolved later on in the locker room, but honestly he just hasn't looked like he's been in it since then.
Others have claimed that it has been the after-effects of being infected by COVID, but he hasn't been he only one that was infected and had to come back to full health.
Plus, for all the noise we tend to get from Salah's agent, and all the nonsense you might hear him talking about in the press about playing in Spain later on or joining another team, he still brings the effort (for the most part) in most games.

For Mane it's just seemed like it's been an all or nothing - tried to win the game all on his own, spurns his teammates, loses the ball and possession then/or looks like he can't be fussed for the rest of the game and just sulks his way to the final whistle.

[eggy81]

Mane and Robbo's form both went to shit when we went tappy crappy and stopped playing the centre to left and right to left switches to find either in isolation, neither has recovered because we've never gone back to doing what made that partnership on our left, which was the strongest and most potent in our entire team, played so brilliantly doing for 2 seasons

We went tappy crappy last season for much of it. It was obviously the style we developed to save legs in possession and allow us to rest in possession rather than charging up and down the pitch like a basketball team. Somehow it became our only tactic this season. I don’t think we could stay playing the constant high press indefinitely with a core of 12 or 13 players. Just not sustainable. We failed at refreshing and breathing life into our squad and it looks like we are gonna pay dearly for it.